Showing posts with label Infotainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Infotainment. Show all posts

Holistic Security for the Software-Defined Car

Bill Boldt
Sr. Business Development Manager, Security
Blackberry Certicom



Due to high profile hacks on cars, it is hard to argue that without security you can have safety.   So, security is emerging as perhaps the most important factor in the evolution of the connected autonomous car.
 
Cars are the most software intensive systems in the universe with far more lines of code than even a state of the art jet fighter. By being such complex digital systems they have become prime targets for attack, and that is where cryptographic countermeasures come in.

Connecting the dots – in the emerging software-defined world safety increasingly
comes from security and security comes from cryptography. Robust cryptographic security implementation is how you increase trust, and when it comes to a car every system must be
trusted: inside the car, in the smart infrastructure, in emerging applications-based ecosystems, and in the manufacturing supply chain. When considering automotive security,
many factors come into play. Some are noted here:

                       
  • Automotive security fundamentally depends on the security of the operating system. For example, a microkernel architecture that separates critical OS components into their own protected memory partitions, provides temporal separation, and provides network security, among other things can greatly reduce the attack surface.
  • Security assets (crypto keys, serial numbers, etc.) must be securely installed into electronic devices such as Electronic Control Units (ECUs), domain/area controllers, and other processors. This process is called "personalization".
  • Electronic devices will often get personalized and installed into vehicles in globally located factories, which should utilize secure equipment and processes to ensure security of the devices.
  •  Devices must be updateable at dealers and repair shops. 
  • Aftermarket suppliers must be able to sell and update secure devices, and
  • OEMs must be able to authorize or not authorize specific electronic devices at
    manufacturing time and after the car is in use (for example to enforce warrantee policies).
And, there are many more.


Personalizing a device such as a networked ECU means that it will become one of a kind. However, by definition that device cannot be used anywhere else. It becomes a unique stock keeping unit (SKU), which is averse to the purpose of flexible, just in time manufacturing flows. Security versus manufacturing flexibility is a serious trade off that will play a part of any automotive security design decision.


Security robustness versus cost is another critical trade off, and applies to the manufacturing infrastructure and the design of the secure systems inside and outside the vehicle. Because security must be injected in the factory and in the field, a secure manufacturing system must have global reach, be manageable on a distributed basis, be updatable by various entities, and remain secure for years. In addition, security updates will increasingly be made over the air, and the systems that do that must by highly secure while being easy to manage. To maintain the maximum amount of flexibility, personalization and updating should be moved as close as possible to the very last minute, which is becoming a critical objective of the global manufacturing blue print. 


Blackberry Brings It All Together




In the car, outside the car, and in the manufacturing supply chain, security must be designed with best practices in mind right from the start, and BlackBerry Professional Services can help with that. BlackBerry QNX provides mission-critical automotive software proven in the automotive market.  QNX software is well known for safety and new products are setting the new standard for security.

BlackBerry's Certicom subsidiary provides certified cryptographic code and design consulting, as well as secure equipment and managed services that harden the automotive supply chain. Completing the picture, BlackBerry's secure OTA managed services make it easy to update software and security assets over the air. When it comes to automotive security, BlackBerry brings it all together.


On Clusters and Infotainment



Romain Saha
Strategic Alliances Manager
BlackBerry


I think I have IAD or internet addiction disorder. I don’t argue with people anymore. I just google until I get the answer. I can’t remember anything. Why should I? It’s all out there on the internet. I barely watch TV anymore. I’d rather just learn something using the internet. 

OK – this probably isn’t textbook IAD. Maybe it’s just the new reality. Pretty much everything anyone could possibly want to know is out there somewhere on the internet. Sometimes it’s easy to find. Sometimes it’s hard. But it almost always is out there if you look hard enough. 

You would think that in this brave new world that there’s no opportunity for confusion anymore. I thought so until I started trying to figure out how one could build a safety certified digital instrument cluster and a full-blown infotainment system using a single high powered embedded processor. I see a lot of silicon road maps in my role and those indicate that a lot of horsepower is coming online. So much horsepower that it’s starting to look like using separate processors to run disparate systems in a car doesn’t make sense anymore.

You’d think that combining a cluster and infotainment system on one SoC would be a no-brainer. Dual (or more) display support is getting pretty common and even today’s SoCs have the compute cycles, so why isn’t everybody already doing this?  It seems pretty easy until you consider that the cluster is a safety critical system. It’s not even the whole cluster, mind you. It’s just what they call telltales. Telltales are those icons that light up in your car to tell you you’re in drive and not reverse, that your traction control is offline, or that your engine is about to blow up. Small things maybe, but very useful information indeed. So, that means you have to address safety concerns for the cluster.

Why not just apply safety criteria to the whole system including the head unit then and be done with it? That is one approach certainly, but the problem is that an infotainment system is pretty much impossible to safety certify. Maybe impossible is too strong. You could probably do it, but why would you? It would probably cost way more than any savings resulting from collapsing two systems onto a single chip.  Plus it would take forever.

If that’s not the answer, then what is? Finding a way to isolate cluster safety criteria from the infotainment system can do job, as long as you can ensure complete isolation. This isn’t a new concept but still pretty rare in embedded.   This is called a hypervisor, and if it is done right, it does the trick. Well, almost. Not every hypervisor can do it right. In order to ensure isolation for this use case you need a type-1 hypervisor. Type-2 hypervisors don’t cut it.  

This is where the internet starts to fail me.  I see hypervisors described as type-1 but then see things about proprietary drivers. I see people say virtualization, but when you dig a bit deeper it’s hard to say whether it’s virtualization or para-virtualization. Type-1, type-2, para, hybrid… I’m at the point where I don’t really know what I see. 

It would be so much easier if people answered simple questions with simple answers.

  • Can you share graphics and still achieve true safety isolation? 
  •  Is the hypervisor built in a way that you can reasonably safety certify your system.
  •  Is it real-time? 
  • How much overhead does it add to the overall system? 
  • What happens if a guest OS goes rogue? 
Maybe you could ask your hypervisor supplier how they address this kind of stuff. If you get an answer that makes sense, do the world a favor and spread the word.

The second thing you need is a foundation on which to build a safety certified system. QNX, as an example, has certified both its OS and tool chain to ISO 26262 ASIL D. You can find this certification on the internet. It’s  here . If you take the time to read it, it says we did the tools and the OS. The production OS used in millions of systems shipping worldwide.
  
Here’s where the internet fails me again. I have looked and looked and looked for another embedded OS company with anywhere near the same level of certification. It has to be out there. I see all kinds of anecdotal “marketing" evidence but I can’t find a certificate. The closest I have come so far is a certificate for an OS, without the tools, that was issued in 2007 for Common Criteria EAL 6+ on an old single-core PowerPC processor. I must be missing something.  Can you buy a PowerPC processor anymore? I guess you should ask to see certificates to be sure you know what you’re getting.

I’m having a hard time coming to grips with the internet letting me down. I’m certain I just don’t know where to look, so if anyone has the answers I’m looking for, I’d love to hear about it. Better yet, post it somewhere on the internet that’s easy to find.

The next thing I’m going to try to find is someone with a safety certified hypervisor because you’ll need one of those too…

Bringing the power of “and” to the car

QNX unveils a new platform at TU-Automotive Detroit and celebrates an acoustics milestone

Paul Leroux
Some people assume that, when it comes to cars, QNX is mostly about infotainment. Or telematics. Or safety. Or security. But in reality, QNX is about all of these things. So, for a better picture of what QNX brings to the car, simply replace all of those ‘or’s with ‘and’s. For an even better picture, add more things to the list. Like instrument clusters. And handsfree systems. And virtualization.

When you put all of these ‘and’s together, you begin to realize that QNX is a platform for the entire automotive cockpit. So why is that important? Well, more than ever, cars are defined by their software. In fact, automakers are now building cars in which half a dozen systems need a high-level OS. Using a single OS platform for all of those systems can consolidate development efforts, increase interoperability, encourage code reuse, reduce training costs, boost productivity, and just plain make things easier. Of course, it doesn’t hurt if that same platform is also secure, standards-based, and production-proven in over 60 million cars.

So why am I going on about this? Because this week, at TU-Automotive Detroit, QNX is showcasing the full breadth of its automotive technology. Visitors to our booth will see demonstrations of ADAS, instrument clusters, infotainment, acoustics, smartphone integration, V2X, remote SIM management — the list goes on. Highlights include the latest QNX technology concept vehicle, which boasts a voice-controlled instrument cluster (man, I’d love one of those) and acoustics technology that allows a driver to talk to back-seat passengers without having to raise his voice or turn around — even if the car is driving at highway speeds. How cool is that?

That’s me, in the driver’s seat of an SUV, speaking to my colleague Tina, who is sitting in the back row. Thanks to
QNX acoustics technology, she can hear me clearly, even though I am speaking normally and looking straight ahead.

New platform for instrument clusters
Of course, we can’t show up at a major auto event without bringing something new for developers. And so, today, we are unveiling the latest addition to our portfolio of automotive safety products, the QNX Platform for Instrument Clusters.

QNX is already a proven player in the digital cluster market. Since 2009, our OS technology has been powering clusters in brands like Alfa Romeo, Audi, Corvette, Jaguar, and Range Rover. (Check out my recent post for a retrospective on QNX-powered clusters.) The new platform builds on this experience, enabling QNX to offer a comprehensive solution for cluster developers, which includes:

  • The QNX OS for Safety, an ISO 26262-certified OS and toolchain that supports all the automotive safety integrity levels, from ASIL A to D, required for clusters and other critical systems
  • A 2D/3D graphics framework based on the OpenGL standard and set to be certified to the ISO 26262 functional safety standard
  • A software framework that protects safety-critical cluster functions from interference by other software components, enabling greater reliability and easier system-level certification
  • A reference implementation, with source code, that gives developers a jumpstart on building fully digital instrument clusters

To get the full story, check out this morning’s press release.

The digital instrument cluster in the QNX concept vehicle, which is based on a Toyota Highlander. QNX has just
unveiled a new platform that allows instrument clusters with ISO 26262 safety requirements to leverage the
full power of accelerated 2D/3D graphics.

50 million systems, you say?
Hands-free systems may be common, but delivering a high-quality hands-free experience can be notoriously difficult. Cars are noisy beasts, and the cacophony created by tires, fans, vents, and open windows can play havoc with any system that has to process voice signals.

What to do? Well, for over 50 million infotainment and telematics systems, automakers have solved the problem with QNX acoustics technology. QNX acoustics offers patented algorithms for echo cancellation, noise reduction, and other technologies to ensure crisp, clear voice communications, even in the harsh sonic environment of the car. In fact, it has become so popular that, on average, it ships in an automotive system every 2.5 seconds. (So, can you do the math and tell me how many systems that adds up to each month?)

Did I mention? The QNX acoustics portfolio does far more than process voice signals. For instance, it includes the QNX Acoustics Management Platform, which offers unified management of all acoustics in the car, enabling customers to reduce the cost, complexity, and time-to-production of audio signal-processing systems. For more details, read this morning’s press release.

Everything but the kitchen sink

Using a single SoC to drive a full-blown infotainment stack, 3D surround view, driver monitoring, smartphone connectivity, and dual HD displays.

TI and QNX have been working together in the infotainment space for a long time. The nice thing about this ongoing relationship is that lots of cool technology gets built along the way. Speaking of which, TI have put together a compelling demo that they will show at the TU-Automotive Detroit conference, on June 8 and 9. I’m pretty pumped about it and invite you to take the time to check it out.

The demo is built on the DRA75x (Jacinto 6 EP) SoC, which includes dual ARM Cortex-A15 processors, an Imagination SGX544MP2 GPU, dual TI C66x DSPs, and an IVA-HD video processing core. For starters, it runs the QNX CAR Platform for Infotainment with navigation, multimedia, speech recognition — all the goodies you’ve come to expect. Not surprising, as the platform has been running on Jacinto 6 longer than on any other SoC.

One SoC, two displays, many applications
It’s what they’ve managed to pile on beyond the QNX CAR Platform that makes this demo so exciting. You may not know it but we also work closely with TI on the informational ADAS (infoADAS) front. There’s a full port of the InfoADAS stack available today on the QNX platform and it’s included in the demo. Taking 4 camera inputs and the processing power available on the C66x and SGX, TI can demonstrate full 3D surround view concurrently with everything else. If that wasn’t enough, they’ve added a fifth camera and partnered with FotoNation to add driver monitoring and identification, which runs on the second C66x.

Normally, the smartphone projection runs on ARM, but for this demo, it runs on the IVA-HD to further demonstrate the capabilities of the chip. And to top it all off, the demo drives two HD displays. One display shows the QNX CAR Platform and the other shows the 3D surround view, along with the driver monitoring and identification.

So, to summarize, on one dual-core ARM A15 part, TI is showing a full-blown high-end infotainment system, driver monitoring, the ability to see everything around the car in real time, and the ability to connect to pretty much any smartphone in the world. Take a second to think back to just 5 years ago. It’s amazing how fast this industry moves.

If you aren’t going to be at TU this year, reach out to TI. I’m willing to bet they’d be happy to show it to you…

NXP i.MX 8 DV — alive and kicking

The team at NXP have really impressed me with how quickly they were able to bring up the new i.MX 8 DV. If you haven’t heard about it, the DV is a development vehicle that NXP introduced in advance of their upcoming family of i.MX 8 processors, and this thing is a beast.

Mapping closely to the upcoming production device, the DV sports dual A72 and quad A53 cores, along with a host of M-cores and dual Vivante GC7000XSVX GPUs. Combined graphics processing jumps sixfold over the previous generation of i.MX devices. The device also has a strong hardware isolation story: 16 partitions are available to map the various hardware blocks on the device and guarantee isolation between them. This architecture greatly facilitates virtualization and even the ability to partition hardware independent of a hypervisor.

Why is this so great? Chips this powerful can span multiple displays in the vehicle. You could have an infotainment system and a digital instrument cluster running on a single i.MX8. Because you don’t have to worry about virtualizing a single GPU (which is quite the challenge), you can carve up the chip’s graphics and processing power to isolate the infotainment system from the cluster. This, in turn, minimizes your scope of certification. Achieving ISO 26262 for a cluster is daunting enough; achieving it for a complex infotainment system as well is off the scale.

This device marks a change in how QNX Software Systems and NXP work together. For the first time NXP is bringing up a new chip on the QNX OS and Linux in parallel. Usually, Linux come first, but not this time. I am, needless to say, delighted by this level of cooperation between our two companies.

At FTF, NXP demonstrated the i.MX 8DV, and it looked great.

Advanced 3D graphics on an i.MX 8DV.

The simpler, the better: a first look at the new QNX technology concept vehicle

Bringing the KISS principle to the dashboard.

Paul Leroux
“From sensors to smartphones, the car is experiencing a massive influx of new technologies, and automakers must blend these in a way that is simple, helpful, and non-distracting.” That statement comes from a press release we issued a year ago, but it’s as true today as it was then — if not more so. The fact is, the car is undergoing a massive transformation as it becomes more connnected and more automated. And with that transformation comes higher volumes of data and greater system complexity.

But here’s the thing. From the driver’s perspective, this complexity doesn’t matter, nor should it matter. In fact, it can’t matter. Because the driver needs to stay focused on the most important thing: driving. (At least until fully automated driving becomes reality, at which point a nap might be in order!) Consequently, it’s the job of automakers and their suppliers to harness all these technologies in a simple, intuitive way that makes driving easier, safer, and more enjoyable. Specifically, they need to provide the driver with relevant, contextually sensitive information that is easy to consume, without causing distraction.

That is the challenge that the new QNX technology concept vehicle, based on a Toyota Highlander, sets out to explore.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s take a look! (And remember, you can click on any image to magnify it.)

The oh-so-glossy exterior
As with any QNX technology concept vehicle, it’s what’s inside that counts. But to signal that this is no ordinary Highlander, we gave the exterior a luxurious, brushed-metal finish that just screams to have its picture taken. So we obliged:



The integrated display that keeps you focused
When modifying the Highlander, simplicity was the watchword. So instead of equipping the vehicle with both a digital instrument cluster and a head unit, we created a “glass cockpit” that combines the functions of both systems, along with ADAS safety alerts, into one seamless display. Everything is presented directly in front of the driver, where it is easiest to see.

For instance, in the following scenario, the cockpit allows the driver to see several pieces of important information at a glance: a forward-collision warning, an alert that the car is exceeding the local speed limit by 12 mph, and turn-by-turn navigation:



Mind you, the cockpit can display much more information than you see here, including a tachometer, album art, incoming phone calls, and the current radio station. But to keep distraction to a minimum, it displays only the information that the driver currently requires, and no more. Because simplicity.

To further minimize distraction, the cockpit uses voice as the primary way to control the user interface, including control of media, navigation, and phone connectivity. As a result, drivers can access infotainment content while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

Thoughtful touches abound. For instance, the HERE Auto navigation software running in the cockpit interfaces with a HERE Auto Companion App running on a BlackBerry PRIV smartphone. So when the driver steps into the vehicle, navigation route information from the smartphone is transferred automatically to the vehicle, providing a continuous user experience. How cool is that?

Here’s a slightly different view of the cockpit, showing how it can display a photo of your destination — just the thing when you are driving to a location for the first time and would like visual confirmation of what it looks like:



Before I forget, here are some additional tech specs: the cockpit is built on the QNX CAR Platform for Infotainment, uses an interface based on Qt 5.5, integrates iHeartRadio, and runs on a Renesas R-Car H2 system-on-chip.

The acoustics feature that keeps you from shouting
The glass cockpit does a great job of keeping your eyes focused straight ahead. But what’s the use of that if, as a driver, you have to turn your head every time you want to speak to someone in the back seat? If you’ve ever struggled to hold a conversation in a car at highway speeds, especially in a larger vehicle, you know what I’m talking about.

QNX acoustics to the rescue! Earlier today, QNX Software Systems announced the QNX Acoustics Management Platform, a new solution that replaces the traditional piecemeal approach to in-car acoustics with a holistic model that enables faster-time-to-production and lower system costs. The platform comes with several innovative features, including QNX In-Car Communication (ICC) technology, which enhances the voice of the driver and relays it to infotainment loudspeakers in the rear of the car.

Long story short: instead of shouting or having to turn around to be heard, the driver can talk normally while keeping his or her eyes on the road. QNX ICC dynamically adapts to noise conditions and adds enhancement only when needed. Better yet, it allows automakers to leverage their existing handsfree telephony microphones and infotainment loudspeakers.



The reference vehicle that keeps evolving
Before you go, I also want to share some updates to the QNX reference vehicle, which is based on a Jeep Wrangler. Like the Highlander, the Jeep got a slick new exterior for CES 2016:



Since 2012, the Jeep has been our go-to vehicle for showcasing the latest capabilities of the QNX CAR Platform for Infotainment. But for over a year now, it has done double-duty as a concept vehicle, showing how QNX technology can help developers build next-generation instrument clusters and ADAS solutions.

Take, for example, the Jeep’s new instrument cluster, which makes its debut this week at CES. In addition to providing all the information that you’d expect, such as speed and RPM, it displays crosswalk notifications, forward collision warnings, speed limit warnings, and turn-by-turn navigation:



The QNX reference vehicle also includes a full-featured head unit that demonstrates the latest out-of-the-box capabilities of the QNX CAR Platform for Infotainment. For example, in this image, the head unit is displaying HERE Auto navigation:



Other features of the platform include:
  • A voice interface that uses natural language processing, making it easy to launch applications, play music, select radio stations, control volume, use the navigation system, and perform a variety of other tasks.
  • A new, easy-to-navigate UI based on Qt 5.5 that supports a variety of touch gestures, including tap, swipe, pinch, and zoom.
  • QNX acoustics technology that enables clear, easy-to-understand hands-free calls through advanced echo cancellation and noise reduction.
  • Cellular connectivity provided by the QNX Wireless Framework, which simplifies system design by managing the complexities of modem control on behalf of applications.
  • Flexible support for a variety of smartphone integration protocols.

Additional tech specs: The Jeep’s cluster runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 602A processor and its user interface was designed by our partner Rightware, using the Rightware Kanzi tool. The head unit, meanwhile, runs on an Intel Atom E3827 processor.

ADAS, augmented reality, V2X, IoT, and more
I have only scratched the surface of what BlackBerry and QNX Software Systems are demonstrating this week at CES 2016. There’s much more to see and experience, including a very cool V2X demonstration, IoT solutions for the automotive and transportation industries, as well as ADAS and augmented reality systems that integrate with the digital clusters described in this post. To learn more, read the press release that QNX issued today and stay tuned to this channel.


Ford ports SmartDeviceLink to QNX CAR Platform

QNX joins Ford, Toyota, and other industry leaders to help drive new standard for app integration.

Paul Leroux
For as long as I can remember, QNX Software Systems has been at the forefront of integrating cars and smartphones. Through our flexible OS architecture and large automotive ecosystem, we provide automakers and Tier 1 suppliers with the ultimate choice in connectivity options for smartphones and other smart devices. And now, QNX customers will have even greater choice, with the availability of Ford’s SmartDeviceLink (SDL) technology for the QNX CAR Platform for Infotainment.

If you’ve never heard of SDL, it’s the open source version of Ford AppLink, the software that allows Ford SYNC users to access smartphone apps through voice commands and dashboard controls. Ford donated AppLink to the open source community to create a standard way for consumers to interact with smartphone apps, regardless of which phone they use or vehicle they drive.

SDL is quickly gaining industry advocates, including Toyota, UI Evolution, and, of course QNX. What’s more, companies like PSA, Honda, Subaru, Mazda are evaluating it for use in next-generation vehicles.

Why the interest in SDL? Because it’s a flexible, vendor-neutral standard that can benefit drivers, automakers, and developers alike. With SDL:

  • Drivers can interact with apps by using voice commands, steering-wheel buttons, and other in-car controls, so they can keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
  • Automakers can deliver a consistent app experience across vehicles, while retaining the flexibility to customize that experience for each vehicle brand or model.
  • Developers can create apps that can work across multiple smart devices and multiple automotive brands — which means they have greater incentive to create automotive apps.

SDL for QNX builds on a history of successful collaborations between Ford and QNX, including the QNX-powered Ford SYNC 3 infotainment system. According to Paul Elsila, CEO of Livio, the Ford subsidiary that maintains the SDL open source project, “With its large market share, QNX can play a key role in driving the adoption of auto industry standards, and we are excited to work with them in building vendor-neutral technology that can simplify the integration of smartphone apps in any brand or type of vehicle.”

SDL works with multiple smartphone platforms. Moreover, it is highly flexible: it can work across a full range of vehicles, from entry-level to premium, and across a wide range of displays. It can even be used in systems without displays — for instance, in systems that use a voice interface.

To learn more about SDL, check out the announcements that Ford, Toyota, and QNX issued this morning.

The demo is in the details

A new video of the 2015 QNX technology concept car reveals some thoughtful touches.

Paul Leroux
QNX technology concept cars serve a variety of purposes. They demonstrate, for example, how the flexibility of QNX technology can help automakers deliver unique user experiences. They also serve as vehicles — pun fully intended — for showcasing our vision of connected driving. And they explore how thoughtful integration of new technologies can make driving easier and more enjoyable.

It is this thoughtfulness that impresses me most about the cars. It is also the hardest aspect to convey in words and pictures — nothing beats sitting inside one of the cars and experiencing the nuances first hand.

The minute you get behind the wheel, you realize that our concept team is exploring answers to a multitude of questions. For instance, how do you bring more content into a car, without distracting the driver? How do you take types of information previously distributed across two or more screens and integrate them on a single display? How do you combine information about local speed limits with speedometer readouts to promote better driving? How do you make familiar activities, such as using the car radio, simpler and more intuitive? And how much should a car’s UX rely on the touch gestures that have become commonplace on smartphones and tablets?

Okay, enough from me. To see how our 2015 technology concept car, based on a Maserati Quattroporte, addresses these and other questions, check out this new video with my esteemed colleague Justin Moon. Justin does a great job of highlighting many of the nuances I just alluded to:



In just over a month, QNX will unveil a brand new technology concept vehicle. What kinds of questions will it explore? What kinds of answers will it propose? We can’t say too much yet, but stay tuned to this channel and to our CES 2016 microsite.

A low-down look at the QNX concept cars

Paul Leroux
It’s that time of year again. The QNX concept team has set the wheels in motion and started work on a brand new technology concept car, to be unveiled at CES 2016.

The principle behind our technology concept cars is simple in theory, but challenging in practice: Take a stock production vehicle off the dealer’s lot, mod it with new software and hardware, and create user experiences that make driving more connected, more enjoyable, and, in some cases, even safer.

It’s always fun to guess what kind of car the team will modify. But the real story lies in what they do with it. In recent years, they’ve implemented cloud-based diagnostics, engine sound enhancement, traffic sign recognition, collision warnings, speed alerts, natural voice recognition — the list goes on. There’s always a surprise or two, and I intend to keep it that way, so no hints about the new car until CES. ;-)

In the meantime, here is a retrospective of QNX technology concept cars, past and present. It’s #WheelWednesday, so instead of the usual eye candy, I’ve chosen images to suit the occasion. Enjoy.

The Maserati Quattroporte GTS
From the beginning, our technology concept cars have demonstrated how the QNX platform helps auto companies create connected (and compelling) user experiences. The Maserati, however, goes one step further. It shows how QNX can enable a seamless blend of infotainment and ADAS technologies to simplify driving tasks, warn of possible collisions, and enhance driver awareness. The car can even recommend an appropriate speed for upcoming curves. How cool is that?




The Mercedes CLA 45 AMG
By their very nature, technology concept cars have a short shelf life. The Mercedes, however, has defied the odds. It debuted in January 2014, but is still alive and well in Europe, and is about to be whisked off to an event in Dubai. The car features a multi-modal user experience that blends touch, voice, physical buttons, and a multi-function controller, enabling users to interact naturally with infotainment functions. The instrument cluster isn’t too shabby, either. It will even warn you to ease off the gas if you exceed the local speed limit.




The Bentley Continental GT
I dubbed our Bentley the “ultimate show-me car,” partially because that’s exactly what people would ask when you put them behind the wheel. The digital cluster was drop-dead gorgeous, but the head unit was the true pièce de résistance — an elegantly curved 17” high-definition display based on TI’s optical touch technology. And did I mention? The car’s voice rec system spoke with an English accent.




The Porsche 911 Carrera
Have you ever talked to a Porsche? Well, in this case, you could — and it would even talk back. We outfitted our 911 with cloud-based voice recognition (so you could control the nav system using natural language) and text-to-speech (so you could listen to incoming BBMs, emails, and text messages). But my favorite feature was one-touch Bluetooth pairing: you simply touched your phone to an NFC reader in the center console and, hey presto, the phone and car were automatically paired,




The Chevrolet Corvette
I have a confession to make: The Corvette is the only QNX technology concept car that I got to drive around the block. For some unfathomable reason, they never let me drive another one. Which is weird, because I saw the repair bill, and it wasn’t that much. In any case, the Corvette served as the platform for the very first QNX technology concept car, back in 2010. It included a reconfigurable instrument cluster and a smartphone-connected head unit — features that would become slicker and more sophisticated in our subsequent concept vehicles. My favorite feature: the reskinnable UI.




The Jeep Wrangler
Officially, the Wrangler serves as the QNX reference vehicle, demonstrating what the QNX CAR Platform can do out of the box. But it also does double-duty as a concept vehicle, showing how the QNX platform can help developers build leading-edge ADAS solutions. My favorite features: in-dash collision warnings and a fast-booting backup display.



Well, there you have it. In just a few months’ time, we will have the honor of introducing you to a brand new QNX technology concept car. Any guesses as to what the wheels will look like?



If you liked this post, you may also be interested in... The lost concept car photos

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